India’s new bridge in Himalayas could potentially reignite China border dispute

[Kailash Kumar]

India’s new bridge in Himalayas could potentially reignite China border dispute

24 Apr, 2020

An Indian girl poses for photographs with an Indian flag at the Indo-China border in Arunachal Pradesh.

India has opened a new all-weather access point in a disputed part of its border with China to enable faster movement of troops and artillery, another potential irritant in relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

The new bridge, which can bear 40 tons of weight, was built in Arunachal Pradesh in India’s remote northeast, a region claimed by China that is near the scene of previous clashes. Border intrusions have risen 50 per cent in 2019 compared to the previous year, people with knowledge of the matter said.

“That part of the border has always had a tendency to friction point between India and China. Lack of reliable and all weather connectivity was vulnerability,” said Nitin Gokhale, a New Delhi-based strategic affairs expert. “The new bridge and improved road overcomes that and ensures uninterrupted supply to troops.”

A Chinese soldier stands guard while Indian soldiers work near their shared border.

The new access along the border with China comes amid heightened tensions between the two nations after Beijing accused India of blocking its companies in the South Asian nation after New Delhi tightened laws for foreign investment. The bridge is located in a region that witnessed a months-long military stand-off in 2017 over the Doklam plateau, claimed by China and Bhutan, India’s ally. It was one of the most serious flare-ups since China won a border war with India in 1962.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond to a message requesting comment.

India claims the Chinese army violated the 3,488km-long undemarcated border, parts of which are disputed, more than 600 times, the people said, asking not to be identified as the matter is not public.

“India and China have different perceptions of the border,” Indian Army spokesman Aman Anand said on Thursday. “Perceived transgressions are result of the perceived boundary.”

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is ramping up its infrastructure along the border, which it says isn’t aimed at any particular country, but rather the development of remote border areas. It has completed 74 strategic roads along the eastern border, with plans afoot to finish 20 more by next year, the people said. It will reduce time taken to move and material by half and help 431 villages that lie across the region during the Covid-19 outbreak.

India tweaked its law on foreign investment by making it mandatory for companies from countries that share a land border to acquire local firms only after seeking an approval from the government. The move, which cuts the risk of opportunistic takeovers as the coronavirus outbreak drives down valuations of Indian companies, had so far applied only to FDI from Bangladesh and Pakistan. India shares its land border with seven countries, including China.

The new bridge opened by the India also strides one of the main access routes of the Chinese Army into India from Tibet.

https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/sout...ge-himalayas-could-potentially-reignite-china

 

[Shantanu_Left]

I am sorry, India simply cannot match China in a conventional war so all this stupid posturing can only lead to trouble. I don't doubt the valor of our Jawans but we are behind the Chinese in terms of technology, movement of troops, and every conceivable economic leverage. Instead we should be somewhat sucking up to the Chinese like the Thai's or Vietnamese do. As a matter of fact, there will be far less sucking involved compared to what we already do to the United States or other NATO countries. Right now Dolan Trump of America says "Jump" and Modi squeals: "how high?"

It's better for India to pick on/bully countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives etc. After we gain that experience, perhaps we could aim for Pakistan, that too only if we had a ballsy Field Marshal like Maneckshaw.

China is way out of our league.

 

[Kailash Kumar]

I am sorry, India simply cannot match China in a conventional war so all this stupid posturing can only lead to trouble. I don't doubt the valor of our Jawans but we are behind the Chinese in terms of technology, movement of troops, and every conceivable economic leverage. Instead we should be somewhat sucking up to the Chinese like the Thai's or Vietnamese do. A a matter of fact, there will be far less sucking involved compared to the United States or other NATO countries. Right now Dolan Trump of America says "Jump" and Modi squeals: "how high?"

It's better for India to pick on/bully countries Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives etc. After we gain that experience, perhaps we could aim for Pakistan only if we had a ballsy Field Marshal like Maneckshaw.

China is way out of our league.

That is honest of you.
And it is true.
India cannot match China in many ways (conventional warfare is just one of them).
Sometimes it is better to swallow your pride and accept the leader.
And China leads in Asia.
It would be interesting to see though what would happen if India would accept that fact.
The relationship between India and China does not need to be one of enemies, but should also not be one of master and slave.
It could be, if the cards would be played right, one of mutual respect and interests.

 

[Kailash Kumar]

India already did that prior to 1962

Pro-Chinese Indian rhetoric during Korean war earned India the title of communist appeaser by the West.

Sucking up to Chinese will only invite Chinese aggression. Chinese only respect power

India's neighbor to the east went on the path of China appeasement and now they have Chinese folks eyeing their women

https://apnews.com/c586d0f73fe249718ec06f6867b0244e

I am not talking about appeasement.
India should work with China, but if China would show agression, through incursions in Indian territory, for example, then India should quickly respond.
However that does not mean that after these incursions India should start a war.
A quick and strong reply should be enough.

 

[Kyusuibu Honbu]

Well yes, as Jyotish said, one has to play their cards right. All I am saying is you can't afford to antagonize the Chinese any less than you do the Americans.

I am willing to trade 629 ugly Indian women to the Chinese. One thing I know they aren't as despo as Indian men: they have certain class. The Chinese have different standards of beauty; from what I know they like our India's kaali kalooti types. Good riddance to that sort of rubbish I say. Hell we should open up brothels near the India-China border. I don't give a shit about that thing as long as the borders are secure, trade is flourishing, and Indian standards of living is improving.

I hope the Chinese can help Indians build 500-600 million flush toilets. In exchange, they can have as much fun as they want in Indian cities. Who cares, life is short.

Maybe we Indians should start consuming pangolin soup as solidarity towards the Chinese as well

 

[Kyusuibu Honbu]

I am not talking about appeasement.
India should work with China, but if China would show agression, through incursions in Indian territory, for example, then India should quickly respond.
However that does not mean that after these incursions India should start a war.
A quick and strong reply should be enough.

War with China has zero gains even if there is victory given the geography

India maintains a defensive posture vis a vis China for this reason

 

[zhxy]

China was a poor, backward country in 1962. They did not have the support of Russia and the West. They do not want another enemy. Nehru's " forward policy" has forced China into a corner.

 

[Shantanu_Left]

Maybe we Indians should start consuming pangolin soup as solidarity towards the Chinese as well

Not we...only Narendra Modi should be forced to consume Chinese shit soup on behalf of 130 crore Bharatvasis. I will pay to watch that on live TV.

Why apply double standards? Modi always sucks up to the Americans and Dolan Trump all the time? The Chinese will be just a different client for his bitch ***. Let's use him like a proper whore.

 

[Jackdaws]

China is not stupid. Neither is India. They aren't going to war. There will be diplomatic issues and that's about it.

 

[Kailash Kumar]

War with China has zero gains even if there is victory given the geography

India maintains a defensive posture vis a vis China for this reason

Well, I said that India should not start a war (see post #5)
Because I do not think that India would be victorious.
And even though I know that China would win a war with India, they do not want a war.
If India would give a quick and clean but strong response to Chinese incursions, then only China would be seen as the bad guy.
And then they would stop.
Maybe after a number of days, weeks or months, they would try it again.
And then India would respond again and this would go on an on.
However, this should mean that despite problems on the border between India and China, no trade or business between them should happen.
This could still continue.

 

[Nilgiri]

Still wondering where "shantanu_right" was all these years @Joe Shearer ?

Its this reason I interact only after certain number of posts have been made...and a member has been aired out suitably.

The bait and switch <500 post types that joined "yesterday and i'll pay you tuesday" that seem to know everyone already and magically....are easy come, easy go, and line up suspiciously conveniently with currently-banned troll accounts.

 

[Shantanu_Left]

Still wondering where "shantanu_right" was all these years @Joe Shearer ?

Its this reason I interact only after certain number of posts have been made...and a member has been aired out suitably.

The bait and switch <500 post types that joined "yesterday and i'll pay you tuesday" that seem to know everyone already and magically....are easy come, easy go, and line up suspiciously conveniently with currently-banned troll accounts.

I'm not a troll. Just because someone has registered yesterday does not mean they just fell down from the sky.

LOL, 500 posts...who decides that. Are you a moderator? I am only here because of the current lockdown situation. You make it sound as if I am dying to interact with you. Who the hell are you Mr. 25,000 posts?

I deal with Indians like you ALL THE TIME every single day. So don't try to teach me Desh-bhakti you scum.

that seem to know everyone already and magically.

For the record, the only person I properly interacted with on this forum is @xeuss and I don't know his name. I know he's an Indian based in the USA (perhaps, a Muslim). I interacted with a number of Pakistani posters here but I can't recall their usernames.

Stop applying your own generalizations to other people.

 

[donkeykong]

1962 never should have happened since China and India have been neighbours for thousands of years and never a war between them. Its a shame that it happened but i doubt it will happen again. Chinese just have to continually show the Indians why we are the best in the world. Above the white man that they often like to worship.

 

[Shantanu_Left]

1962 never should have happened since China and India have been neighbours for thousands of years and never a war between them. Its a shame that it happened but i doubt it will happen again. Chinese just have to continually show the Indians why we are the best in the world. Above the white man that they often like to worship.

That's what I am telling them. Stop sucking up to the White man so much and develop close contacts and good friendship with people from other countries next door. China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Thailand, UAE, Oman. Iran..hell, even Pakistan...it's like India's backyard. Try to treat them as your priority.

And these losers (I'm referring to India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his cabinet) only want to suck up to America and Israel.

 

[Kailash Kumar]

1962 never should have happened since China and India have been neighbours for thousands of years and never a war between them. Its a shame that it happened but i doubt it will happen again. Chinese just have to continually show the Indians why we are the best in the world. Above the white man that they often like to worship.

A lot of non-white people worship white people.
That goes for Indians but also for Chinese, actually for all Asians.
Africans, Arabs, Latin Americans like to talk tough to white people, but they also worship them.

Many non-white people also complain that the white man rules them, but how hard can it be for the white man (or woman) to rule, if everyone else is already a slave for them?

Maybe, it would have been different, if non-white people would be free of this mental prison which is their inferiority complex.

Sad.